Anti-vibration mounting means for the cutter heads of a double-surface planer



Nov. 14, 1961' 3,008,502

W'. D. RICKS ANTI-VIBRATION MOUNTING MEANS FOR THE CUTTER HEADS OF A DOUBLE-SURFACE PLANER Filed Feb. 26, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2.

INVENTOR. 14//. mo 0. 9/068,

NOV. 14, W. D. RICKS ANTI-VIBRATION MOUNTING MEANS FOR THE CUTTER HEADS OF A DOUBLE-SURFACE PLANER v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1960 FIG.

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ANTI-VIBRATION MOUNTING MEANS FOR THE CUTTER HEADS OF A DOUBLE-SURFACE PLANER Filed Feb. 26, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet a jfln FIG. 8.

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ANTI-VIBRATION MO N ING MEANS FOR THE CUTTER HEADS OF A CE PLANER Filed Feb. 26, 1960 BLE-SURFA 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Illll 52 3,008,502 Patented Nov. 14., 1961 ice ' 3,008,502 ANTI-VIBRAI'IGN MOUNTING MEANS FOR THE CUTTER HEADS F A DOUBLE-SURFACE PLANER Willard Duane Ricks, 2245 Alexander Ave, Anderson, Calif. Filed Feb. 26, 1960, Ser. No. 11,174 4 Claims. (Cl. 144-116) The present invention relates to wood planing machines generally and in particular to an anti-vibration means for the cutter heads of a wood planing machine.

Presently in use are wood planing machines of various types having rotary cutter heads which airejvertically adjustable. The means mounting each cutter head in the frame of the machine for adjustable vertical movement includes subframes and bearing structures which support the cutting edge with considerable overhang from the frame. Due to the elasticity of the castings employed in the bearing structures and subframes, there is vibration in the cutting head which produces waves in the lumber and poor quality miilwork.

An object of the present invention is to provide an anti-vibration mounting means for a wood planing machine which eliminates the vibration in the cutting head with the result that perfect millwork is turned out by the machine without wavesicut in the lumber.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an anti-vibration mounting means for a woodworking machine of the planer type, which lends itself to ready attachment to and detachment from the machine, one which may be employed to take up all lost motion connections between an adjustable cutter head and the bed of the machine, and one which is highly effective in action.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which: I

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a wood planing-machine, with the anti-vibration means of the present invention installed thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the machine shown in FIGURE 1, a. portion of the bedplate being removed and in section to show the lower cutting head;

FIGURE 3 is a plan View of one of the jacks employed in the attachment of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view in elevation of the jack shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken on the line 55 of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a View taken on the line 6-6 of FIG- URE 4; 7

FIGURE 7 is a view in elevation of one of the extensions employed with the assembly shown in FIG- URES 3 to 6 inclusive; 2

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the pump portion of the attachment;

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view of the FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 1010 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view taken on the line 1111 of FIGURE 10; and

FIGURE 12 is an end view, on an enlarged scale and with parts in section, showing the wood planer supporting frame work with the two cutter heads with the bearing structures in vertical alignment, and the antipump shown in vibration mounting means of the invention interposed beviews, in FIGURES 1 and 2 the reference numeral 12 designates generally a wood planing machine having a frame 14, and a bedplate 16 over which lumber is passed for Working the tops and bottoms of the lumber.

The machine 12 includes an upper cutting head 18 and a lower cutting head 20. Direct drive motors 22 and 24 eifect the rotation of' the cutting heads 18 and 20, respectively.

The upper cutting head 18 is journaled in bearing structures 26 and 28 which are arranged in axialspaced relation and which are carried on a subframe 30 for upward and downward movement relative to the frame 14 The lower cutting head 20 is journaled in bearing structures 32 and 34 carried by the frame 14. The bearing structures 32 and 34 are also arranged in axial spaced relation.

Anti-vibration mounting means is provided by the present invention disposed between adjacent bearing structures 26 and 32, or 28 and 34, and is actuable to wedge the bearing structures apart. Specifically, this wedging means is hydraulically operated and means is provided operatively connecting the wedging means together for simultaneously applying wedging pressure between the adjacent bearing structures of each of the first and second pairs of bearing structures.

Specifically, the wedging means embodies a closed cylinder 36 interposed between the bearing structures 26 and 32 and another closed cylinder 38 interposed between the bearing structures 28 and 34.

The cylinders 36' and 38 are'identical and will be described with reference to the cylinder 38. In FIGURE 4, the cylinder 38 is shown to have a piston 40 working therewithin. A ram 42 is carried by the piston 40 and has one end portion projecting out of the cylinder 38. In order to accommodate various spacings between adjacent bearing structures, the ram 42 is provided with a socket 44 receiving one end of a plug 46 which has a socket 48 in its other end. The socket 48 receives a projection 50 on one end of an extension member 52. More than one extension member 52 may be joined to the plug 46 in order to accommodate a space of a certain size. Another extension member is shown in FIGURE 7 and designated by the reference numeral 52.

A coil spring 54 is circumposed about the ram 42 and has one end bearing against the piston 40 and the other end bearing against the underside of a sealing ring 56 circumposed about the ram 42 and threadedly engaged in the open end portion of the cylinder 38. p

The end of the cylinder 38 remote from the sealing ring 56 is threadedly engaged in a base 58 having a bore 60 extending from the space under the resilient piston cap 62, which forms a portion of the piston 40, to a threaded inlet 64 in which is threadedly engaged a coupling nipple 66.

The means operatively connecting the cylinders 36 and 38 together for simultaneously applying wedging pressure between the adjacent bearing structures consists in a hydraulic pump shown in FIGURES 8 to 11, inclusive, and designated generally by the reference numeral 68. V

The pump 68 includes a piston 70 vertically slidable therein and sealed by means of a plurality of sealing rings 72 and a gland nut 74. The piston 70 is slidable within a piston chamber 76. A bore 78 extends transversely of the pump 68 below the bottom of the chamber 76 and is in communication therewith. The bore 78 extends inwardly from one side wall 80 of the pump 68 and terminatesat a point adjacent to and spaced from the opposed side wall 82. The bore 78 is provided with a shoulder forming a valve seat 84 on which is normally seated a ball 86 normally held in the valve seat engaging position by a. coil spring 88. The outer end of the bore 78 is closed by a plug element 90. The spring 8 8 has one end bearing against the ball 86 and the other end bearing against the free end of the plug element 90.

Another bore 92 extends through the pump 68 from the front wall 94 of the latter and terminates at and is in communication with the bore 78. The bore 92 is provided with a shoulder forming another valve seat 96 on which is normally seated a ball 93 biased to the closed position with respect to the valve seat 96 by a spring 100 bearing against the ball 98 and against the free end of another plug element 102. The plug element 102 is threadedly engaged in the bore 92 and is adjustable inwardly and outwardly so as to vary the tension of the spring 100.

Extending inwardly from the pump side wall 82 and terminating at a point adjacent to and spaced from the side wall 80 is another bore 104 arranged in lateral spaced relation with respect to the bore 7 8'. The bore 104 bisects the bore 92 at a point intermediate the free end of the plug element 102 and the ball 98.

Extending inwardly from the pump side wall 80 is a threaded bore 106 terminating at a reduced portion 108 adjacent to and in communciation with the terminating end part of the bore 104. Between the reduced portion 108 of the bore 106 and the adjacent part of the bore 104 is a valve seat 110 against which is seatable the free end of a valve stem 112 having a handle portion 114 exteriorly of the front face or wall 94.

The valve stem 112 is positioned in a bore 116 and threadedly engaged therein for reciprocal movement to shift the valve stem end portion E of the valve seat 110 so as to open communication between the bore 104 and the bore 106 when desired.

Extending inwardly from the pump front wall 94 is another bore 118 terminating at the terminating point of the bore 78. Another valve stem 120 is threadedly engaged in the bore 118 and has its free end bearing on the valve seat 122. 'The bore 118 bisects the bore 104 and when the valve stem 120 is rotated in one direction to seat the free end thereof on the valve seat 122, communication between the bore 73 and bore 104 is closed Extending upwardly through the bottom 12-4 of the pump 68 is a threaded bore 126 connecting in communication with the portion 108 of the bore 106, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 10. Threaded into the bore 126 is a fitting or coupler 123 to which two conduits, 130 and 13 2, are connected, as shown inFIGURES 1 and 2.

In the bore 106 is a nipple 13-4 to which is attached a pressure gauge 136, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

As shown in FIGURES 8 and 9, the upper end portion of the piston 70 of the pump 68 is connected by a link element 136 to an operating lever 140 intermediate the ends thereof. One end of the lever 140 is fulcrumed in the upper end of a post 142 which rises from. the back wall 144 of the pump 68.

The pump 68 is provided with a reservoir 146 (FIG- URE 11) in the bottom of which is a port 148 connected in communication with the juncture point of the conduits 78 and 118, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 10, the dotted lines representing a phantom view of the port 148.

The pump 68 has a flange 150 projecting from the bottom thereof, the flange 150 sewing as a means for securing the pump to the machine frame 14, as shown in FIG- URE 9, a stud bolt 15 2 or other fastening element being employed to secure the flange 150 to the frame 14.

In operation, the pump 68 is secured to the frame 14 in any convenient place and the cylinders 36 and 38 are interposed between adjacent bearing structures of. the machine 12 at each end of the cutting heads 18 and 20. It is to be understood that the cylinders 36 and 3-8 may be interposed between any relatively movable parts of the machine 12, such as between a subfrarne element of either of the cutting heads and a relatively fixed part of the frame 14 such as the bed plate 16. The term bearing structure is to include any frame member which all is movable with the associated cutting head and against which the cylinder 36 and cylinder 38 may be engaged for the purpose of the invention. The cylinders are commonly termed jacks.

Upon operation of the lever 140 between the dotted line positions shown in FIGURE 9, and with the valve stem 112 free of the valve seat and with the valve stem closing on the valve seat 122, fluid is forced from the pump chamber 76 into the conduits and 132 to effect the extensile movement of the rams 42 in the cylinders 36 and 38.

This results in applying wedging pressure to the adjacent bearing structures 26 and 32, 28 and 34. When a predetermined pressure has been reached as shown on the gauge 136, the valve stem 112 is turned to close the passage between the bore 104 and the bore 108. This holds the pressure in the cylinders 36 and 38 and maintains the parts of the machine 12 in a stabilized condition which permits no vibration to effect the cutting action of the cutting heads 18 and 20.

As the result, the lumber which is planed will have no ripple or wave marks and will have a finish which requires no extra operation to prepare it for use.

When it is desired to shift the cutting heads 18 and 20 relative to each other, the valve stem 120 is turned so as to open the passage between the bore 104 and the bore 78, the valve stem 112 is also turned so as to open the passage between the bore 104 and the bore 126., and the cylinders 36 and 38 will be relieved of their pressure by the action of the associated springs 54, at least to the extent that they may be manuallymoved from their position in wedging relation with respect to the associated bearing structures.

A plug 154 closes the bore 104 to the atmosphere. The upper end of the pump 68 is provided with a filler cap 156 for replenishing the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir 146.

Although a single embodiment of the present invention has been shown, numerous changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wood planing machine including an upper r0- tatable cutting head journa-led in a first pair of bearing structures arranged in axial spaced relation, and a lower rotatable cutting head journaled in a second pair of bearing structures arranged in axial spaced relation, said bearing structures being vertically aligned at opposite ends of the cutter head shafts, the improvement consisting in hydraulic wedging means disposed between adjacent bearing structures of each of said first and second pairs of bearing structures, and means operatively connecting said wedging means together for simultaneously applying wedging pressure between the adjacent bearing structures of each of said first and second pairs of hearing structures.

2. In a wood planing machine including an upper ro tatable cutting head journaled in a first pair of bearing structures arranged in axial spaced relation, and a lower rotatable cutting head journaled in a second pair of bearing structures arranged in axial spaced relation, said bearing structures being vertically aligned at opposite ends of the cutter head shafts, the improvement consisting in hydraulic wedging means embodying a closed cylinder, a piston working within said cylinder, and a ram carried by said piston and having one end portion projecting out of one of the ends of said cylinder, said means being disposed between adjacent bearing structures of each of said first and second pairs of bearing structures so that the projecting ram end portion engages one of said hearing structures with the other end of said cylinder engaging the other of said bearing structures, and hydraulic pump means operatively connected to the cylinders of said wedging means for simultaneously causing said ram projecting end portions and the other ends of said cylinders to apply equal wedging pressures between the adjacent bearing structures of each of said first and second bearing structures.

3. In a wood planing machine including an upper rotatable cutting head journaled in a first pair of bearing structures arranged in axial spaced relation, and a lower rotatable cutting head journaled in a second pair of hearing structures arranged in axial spaced relation, said bearing structures being vertically aligned at opposite ends of the cutter shafts, the improvement consisting in hydraulic wedging means embodying a closed cylinder, a piston working within said cylinder, and a ram carried by said piston and having one end portion projecting out of one of the ends of said cylinder, said means being disposed between adjacent bearing structures of each of said first and second pairs of bearing structures so that the projecting ram end portion engages one of said bearing structures with the other end of said cylinder engaging the other of said bearing structures, hydraulic pump means operatively connected to the cylinders of said wedging means for simultaneously causing said ram projecting end portions and the other ends of said cylinders to apply equal wedging pressures between the adjacent bearing structures of each of said first and second bearing structures, and normally open valve means operatively connected to said cylinders and manually shiftable to closed position for releasably holding wedging pressures in said cylinders when applied to said cylinders.

rotatable cutting head journa-led in a second pair of bearing structures arranged in axial spaced relation, said bearing structures being vertically aligned at opposite ends of the cutter shafts, the improvement consisting in hydraulic wedging means embodying a closed cylinder, a piston working within said cylinder, and a ram carried by said piston and having one end portion projecting out of one of the ends of said cylinder, said means being disposed between adjacent bearing structures of each of said first and second pairs of bearing structures so that the projecting ram end portion engages one of said bearing structures with the other end of said cylinder engaging the other of said bearing structures, a manually actuable hydraulic pump, a conduit connecting each of said cylinders to said pump, and a normally open valve operatively connected to said conduits and manually shiftable to closed position for releasably holding wedging pressures when applied to said cylinders responsive to actuation of said pump and simultaneously causing said ram projecting end portions and the other ends of said cylinders to apply equal Wedging pressures between the adjacent bearing structures of each of said first and second bearing structures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 565,463 Kellogg -Q Aug. 11, 1896 2,312,439 Peterson ..L Mar. 2, 1943 2,449,201 Buss Sept. 14, 1948 2,564,904 Jacobson Aug. 21, 1951 

